--- title: "Patios in Reading & Berkshire | Porcelain, Sandstone & Stone | Philbert Construction" description: "Hard-wearing patios across Reading, Newbury & Basingstoke — porcelain, sandstone, granite. Engineered sub-base. Free quote in 48hrs." lang: en-GB json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": [ "LocalBusiness", "GeneralContractor", "HomeAndConstructionBusiness" ], "@id": "/#business", "name": "Philbert Construction Ltd", "alternateName": "Philbert Construction", "url": "/", "telephone": "+447446909887", "email": "philbertconstruction@gmail.com", "priceRange": "££", "currenciesAccepted": "GBP", "paymentAccepted": "Cash, BACS, Bank Transfer", "taxID": "11797167", "foundingDate": "2008", "slogan": "Built right. 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We dig, drain and lay every patio to a spec that doesn't dip, doesn't pool and doesn't lift come the first hard frost.", "offers": { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "GBP", "url": "/contact" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "How much does a patio cost in Reading?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Costs vary depending on size, materials, access and site conditions — no two projects are the same. We provide free, no-obligation written quotes after a site visit so you can see exactly what's included before committing." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long does a patio take to lay?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A standard 25m² patio takes 4–6 working days from dig-out to pointing. Multi-level patios with steps and walls run 8–12 days. We give you a day-by-day plan with the quote." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What's the best material for a Berkshire garden?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "20mm porcelain wins for most modern gardens — virtually no maintenance, no sealing, won't stain. Indian sandstone is half the material cost but needs sealing and more upkeep. For character properties we usually recommend Yorkstone or granite." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you guarantee patios?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "We don't issue formal written guarantees, but we stand behind every job. If something we did isn't right, get in touch and we'll come back to look at it. We're fully insured and your statutory rights are unaffected." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long will my patio last?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Properly built: 25+ years before any meaningful work is needed. Porcelain lasts indefinitely. The bed is what fails first on a bad patio — and ours is overbuilt by design." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you lay over an existing patio?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Almost never. Old patios will have settled unevenly and the new patio will inherit every dip. We lift, skip the old slabs, dig the base properly and start fresh. It costs more on day one and saves you thousands over 10 years." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will my patio drain properly?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. Every patio is laid to a minimum 1:60 fall away from the house, and we install channel drains, gullies or soakaways where the natural fall doesn't allow it. No standing water, ever." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you sell as well as lay paving?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No — we're laying specialists. We work with three local material suppliers in Reading and Newbury where you can see slabs in the flesh, and we'll come with you to choose if you'd like." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What about the mess during the build?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "We skip-on-site, protect lawns and planting with boards, and clear the working area at the end of every day. Most clients don't even need to leave the house." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you build steps and walls as part of the patio?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — patios, retaining walls, steps and edging are usually the same job. We build them together so falls, levels and material match perfectly." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Services", "item": "/services" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Patios", "item": "/services/patios" } ] } ] --- [07446 909887 ](tel:+447446909887) [philbertconstruction@gmail.com](mailto:philbertconstruction@gmail.com) Tadley, RG26 4LU Mon–Sat 8:00–17:30 · Sun 8:00–16:00 [](https://www.facebook.com/philbertconstruction/)[](https://www.instagram.com/philbertconstruction/) [![Philbert Construction Ltd](/__l5e/assets-v1/8a31a984-8c57-44b3-9cc5-724bddcefdc8/philbert-logo.png)](/) [About](/about) [Services](/services) [Areas](/service-areas) [Our Work](/our-work) [Reviews](/reviews) [Contact](/contact) [07446 909887](tel:+447446909887)[Request Estimate](/contact) 1. [Home](/) 2. [Services](/services) 3. Patios ![Paved area outside modern house. — Philbert Construction patios project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/f235865e-69eb-4572-b49d-8cff765ff8d3/672668954_1418340776759715_562536308707613534_n.jpg) Patios · Reading & Berkshire # Hard-Wearing Patios Built to Frame Your Garden for the Next 20 Years A patio is a 20-year decision — get the sub-base wrong and you'll be lifting and relaying within five. We dig, drain and lay every patio to a spec that doesn't dip, doesn't pool and doesn't lift come the first hard frost. [Get a Free Written Quote](/contact) [07446 909887](tel:+447446909887) 5.0 average from verified Google reviews Fully insured · 18 years building in Berkshire 18 years Building across Berkshire Fully insured Cover on every project Written quotes Itemised within 48 hours Free quotes No-obligation, in writing Same-day Response on enquiries Recent work ## A look at projects across Berkshire. [View all](/our-work) ![Block paving driveway with front wall](/__l5e/assets-v1/72e7228c-b78f-43b8-850f-2304bcf536fe/480080872_1086022363324893_8599073537129495081_n.jpg) driveways ![block paving driveway of a large house](/__l5e/assets-v1/bb4ab9c9-51e5-4a6b-a445-d0e9026edb7e/480105703_1085140566746406_9031678587810065028_n.jpg) driveways ![Block paving driveway with curved lawn](/__l5e/assets-v1/0f5e5563-edd0-49d5-b89a-abba5e6dc846/480238940_1086022796658183_436938064635199783_n.jpg) driveways ![block paving driveway in front of brick house](/__l5e/assets-v1/8f388a53-600c-4737-b1d9-0ec2e6801c7b/480393816_1086022319991564_2781699704335370881_n.jpg) driveways ![New house extension with modern bifold doors](/__l5e/assets-v1/1fd646cb-8a90-4dcb-886d-cdc311c87b4e/480854993_3895339790780895_7526137736934487079_n.jpg) extensions ![Completed brick house extension with large windows](/__l5e/assets-v1/206467b5-e6d8-4393-a30a-fe0bb44c25e1/481151972_1094648239128972_1070400166830768780_n.jpg) extensions ![Gravel driveway in front of large red brick house](/__l5e/assets-v1/f5c5e444-8c94-474c-8e60-42c03a0a6b65/481240993_3895339984114209_3698667434209698521_n.jpg) driveways ![New build house with gravel driveway and wooden porch](/__l5e/assets-v1/f97318c3-8249-4dbd-ba70-8dbe4b48bcf1/481267970_3895340080780866_8552531333452770995_n.jpg) driveways ![New build house showing lawn, gravel driveway, and fences](/__l5e/assets-v1/8821b9d2-48dc-4d22-8d5a-7393c51f9ff0/482268556_3904298196551721_2009600277385838606_n.jpg) landscaping ![tarmac driveway with brick and flint wall and gates](/__l5e/assets-v1/b9a2f0c2-c584-49f7-a0bd-8bd510af5749/483876245_1105897564670706_4172320846332780299_n.jpg) driveways ![tarmac driveway with brick pillars and wooden gates](/__l5e/assets-v1/65ee1340-caae-443b-8e0d-ce52e2fb62bb/484586705_1105897558004040_8849210585312474729_n.jpg) driveways ![new brick and flint wall with wooden gate and tarmac drive](/__l5e/assets-v1/bb23a941-2348-44d9-a65b-e3e68556a7a2/484615654_1105897551337374_805596375624489868_n.jpg) brickwork ![new build house under construction](/__l5e/assets-v1/e096a49c-7b10-4bac-a465-0b4abc022643/484648283_1106418277951968_5046185084479331938_n.jpg) extensions ![Newly built house, modern rendering.](/__l5e/assets-v1/ebdb8edb-a9ea-4d64-8675-aa11efc4b1cd/484698262_3912002745781266_8739382140586069315_n.jpg) extensions [View all work](/our-work) What we do ## Patios done properly — the first time. What it is Full-design patios in porcelain, natural stone, sandstone, granite, riven Yorkstone and concrete flag — laid on a proper compacted sub-base with crossfalls, drainage and edging worked out before a single slab goes down. Who it's for Homeowners replacing tired old slabs, landscapers needing structural groundworks done before they plant, and anyone who's had a cowboy job that's already weed-ridden and rocking after one winter. When you need it When existing slabs are lifting, when water pools against the house wall after rain, when you're transforming a garden, or when you're selling and the back garden lets the house down. Why a specialist matters 90% of patio failures are sub-base failures, not material failures. A properly compacted Type 1 base with a full mortar bed lasts decades; sand or four-blob laying lifts inside a winter. We do it the long way every time — and we charge for it. The cost of waiting ## A cheap patio costs you twice — once to lay, again to dig up. ### What happens if it's ignored - Slabs laid on sand or 'four blobs' of mortar rock within two years and let water sit underneath, eventually washing the bed out completely. - Inadequate falls (less than 1:80 away from the house) push surface water under your DPC and straight into your living room wall. - Cheap natural stone left unsealed picks up barbecue stains, moss and red wine within a season — and most of it never comes out. - Missing drainage means an inch of standing water across the patio every time it rains, plus algae and a slip hazard by autumn. ### Mistakes we fix every month - Going for the cheapest sandstone with no consideration of slip rating — beautiful in the brochure, lethal in October rain. - Skipping the geotextile membrane between sub-base and subsoil so weeds and worms migrate up and disturb the bed. - Laying straight on top of an old patio without lifting it — almost certain differential settlement within two years. - Missing the perimeter mortar haunch so the edge slabs walk outwards and the whole patio loosens from the outside in. Our process ## A clear five-step system from first call to final handover. 1. Step 1 ### Site Visit & Inspection We come to you, measure up, photograph the site and listen properly to what you want from the patio. 2. Step 2 ### Written Quote & Diagnosis You get an itemised, fixed-price quote within 48 hours — labour, materials, timings and what's specifically excluded. 3. Step 3 ### Schedule & Prepare We agree a start date, order materials in advance and protect your home — dust sheets, walkways, skip placement. 4. Step 4 ### Build & Communicate Daily progress updates from your dedicated foreman. No subcontractor merry-go-round — you see the same faces every day. 5. Step 5 ### Sign-Off & Handover Final walk-around with you, snags fixed on the spot — we don't leave until you're happy with the finish. What you get ## Specific outcomes — not vague promises. ### 20-year patio, properly laid Type 1 compacted in 75mm layers, full mortar bed, primer slurry on porous flags — built to outlast any garden you put around it. ### Proper falls & drainage 1:60 minimum fall away from the house, with channel drains or soakaways designed in before the first slab goes down. ### Done once, done right Cheap patios get lifted in five years. Ours don't move. The full-cost-of-ownership maths is brutal in our favour. ### Honest material advice We'll tell you when a budget porcelain beats a premium stone for your garden — and when it doesn't. Our profit doesn't depend on the answer. ### Clean install, neat finish Off-cuts skipped daily, surrounding planting protected, edges cut on a wet-saw not chopped with an angle grinder. ### Sealed & handed over Where appropriate, we seal natural stone and porcelain after laying so it stays looking new through its first winter. The detail ## Materials, methods and variations for patios in Reading. Patios in the Reading and Newbury area face heavy clay soils, high winter water tables and the standard British freeze-thaw cycle — all of which destroy a poorly built patio. The right material, the right sub-base depth and the right falls add up to a patio that still looks new in 2046. Here's exactly what we use. ### Materials we work with Porcelain paving 20mm vitrified porcelain — almost zero water absorption, frost-proof, stain-proof, R11 anti-slip rating standard. Brands we trust: Stonemarket, Strata, Marshalls Symphony. Indian sandstone 22mm calibrated sandstone — Raj green, Mint fossil, Modak. Sealed on completion for stain resistance. Cheaper than porcelain but needs maintenance. Granite setts & flags Silver-grey, black or yellow granite. Hardest stone we lay — almost indestructible. Sett bands make beautiful borders to porcelain main areas. Yorkstone & sawn limestone Riven or sawn finish — the right choice for period and character properties around Pangbourne, Goring and Henley. We source from established Yorkshire and Derbyshire quarries. Sub-base & bedding 75mm–150mm Type 1 MOT, compacted in 75mm layers with a heavy plate. Full mortar bed (4:1 sharp sand and cement), slurry primer on the underside of every porous slab. ### Methods & techniques Excavation & sub-base Dig down to 200–250mm below finished level, line with geotextile membrane, lay Type 1 in two compacted layers, finish to falls before any laying begins. Full mortar bed laying Every slab fully bedded on a 30–50mm wet mortar bed — never spot bedded. Tapped down to level with a rubber mallet, sounded for hollows. Drainage design 1:60 minimum fall from house, channel drains at the foot of patios where the garden slopes back toward the house, soakaways minimum 5m from foundations and connected to a permeable crate where required. Pointing Wet polymeric or hand-pointed mortar joints, never dry-brushed sand. Mortar joints brushed flush after initial set so the patio looks finished, not muddy. ### Common variations & situations - Single-level rear garden patios - Multi-level patios with steps and retaining walls - Wrap-around patios stepping down from bi-fold doors - Pool surround paving (specialist anti-slip rating) - Front-garden patios with parking allowance - Mixed-material patios — porcelain field with sett borders - Pergola-ready patios with hidden post bases - Heritage stone patios for listed and period properties ### Residential vs commercial Domestic patios prioritise looks, slip safety and longevity. Commercial paving (pub gardens, restaurants, small public realm work — which we do occasionally in Reading and Newbury) prioritises wear ratings, slip resistance under heavy footfall, and trip-hazard tolerances. We hold both standards. Common questions ## What homeowners in Reading ask before booking. ### How much does a patio cost in Reading? ### How long does a patio take to lay? ### What's the best material for a Berkshire garden? ### Do you guarantee patios? ### How long will my patio last? ### Can you lay over an existing patio? ### Will my patio drain properly? ### Do you sell as well as lay paving? ### What about the mess during the build? ### Can you build steps and walls as part of the patio? Related services ### Often booked alongside patios - [Patios — Hard-wearing patios that frame your garden for the next twenty years. ](/services/patios) - [Driveways — Block paving, resin and tarmac driveways with proper sub-bases. ](/services/driveways) - [Groundworks — Foundations, drainage and site prep — done right the first time. ](/services/groundworks) [See all services](/services) Areas we cover for patios ### Local patios crews near you - [Reading](/service-areas/reading) - [Newbury](/service-areas/newbury) - [Pangbourne](/service-areas/pangbourne) - [Caversham](/service-areas/caversham) [All service areas](/service-areas) Recent work ## Recent patios projects across Reading & Berkshire. ![new patio area with custom railing and building exterior — Philbert Construction patios project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/9471b306-3287-499a-9e05-1ef630570a7b/671885233_1418340640093062_4445234698507216978_n.jpg) ![New patio and bifold doors on house extension — Philbert Construction patios project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/886cd328-a905-404d-b559-3f0447cfdc5a/481204268_3895339974114210_6827541212808298849_n.jpg) ![newly laid patio area — Philbert Construction patios project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/113e7c77-c1fb-401c-b7ca-f4e6043f0d63/484021769_1102415041685625_5512391900497220641_n.jpg) ![Stone patio steps leading to gravel driveway and wooden fence — Philbert Construction patios project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/75fc8a8e-45c7-49f3-b90f-fdc4119b5a59/670872241_1418340870093039_6859839853919699439_n.jpg) ![new house patio with railings — Philbert Construction patios project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/60b24524-7c29-45fd-b4b9-94d325be5793/672101090_1418340593426400_8296918497627698308_n.jpg) Ready when you are ## Get a fixed written quote for your patios — within 48 hours. No high-pressure sales. No vague day rates. Just an itemised quote from a builder who's been on the tools for 18 years. [Request Free Estimate](/contact) [Call 07446 909887](tel:+447446909887) Fully insured 18 years on the tools Quote within 48 hours Or [return home](/) · [see recent work](/our-work) · [read reviews](/reviews) ![Philbert Construction Ltd](/__l5e/assets-v1/8a31a984-8c57-44b3-9cc5-724bddcefdc8/philbert-logo.png) A family-run construction company based in Tadley. 18 years of brickwork, extensions, roofing and groundworks across Berkshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire. [](https://www.facebook.com/philbertconstruction/)[](https://www.instagram.com/philbertconstruction/) #### Services - [Brickwork](/services/brickwork) - [Extensions](/services/extensions) - [Structural Alterations](/services/structural-alterations) - [Patios](/services/patios) - [Groundworks](/services/groundworks) - [Driveways](/services/driveways) - [Roofing](/services/roofing) #### Areas - [Reading](/service-areas/reading) - [Newbury](/service-areas/newbury) - [Basingstoke](/service-areas/basingstoke) - [Thatcham](/service-areas/thatcham) - [Caversham](/service-areas/caversham) - [Pangbourne](/service-areas/pangbourne) - [Bucklebury](/service-areas/bucklebury) - [Goring](/service-areas/goring) - [Oxford](/service-areas/oxford) #### Get in Touch - [07446 909887 ](tel:+447446909887) - [philbertconstruction@gmail.com](mailto:philbertconstruction@gmail.com) - 14 Willow Road, Tadley, England, RG26 4LU Opening Hours Mon–Sat · 08:00–17:30 Sunday · 08:00–16:00 © 2026 Philbert Construction Ltd. 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